NAMM 2016: Guild Guitars launches the Starfire II ST

[SFIV1967]

"
[h=2]Guild Expands Best-Selling Starfire Family with Affordable Semi-Hollow Model[/h]SANTA MONICA, CA – Guild Guitars is proud to announce the Starfire II ST, the most budget-friendly Guild Starfire in the Newark St. Collection.
The Starfire II ST is a semi-hollow guitar with a graceful single Florentine cutaway and extra thin mahogany body. This model comes equipped with dual LB-1 Little Bucker pickups, replicas of Guild’s original smaller size humbucking pickups. These pickups, which have a footprint that falls in between a full size humbucker and mini-bucker, define the Starfire II’s uniquely-Guild sound. Other premium features include a mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard, elegant ivory white body binding, and a beautiful high gloss natural finish. This model features a Tune-O-Matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece for increased sustain and stability. The Starfire II is a welcome addition to the Starfire family, offering Guild’s classic vibe and vintage tone at an unprecedented affordable price.

Street Price: $799

Visit Guild Guitars’ exhibit at the 2016 Winter NAMM Show, located at Booth 5308."

Source: http://dshowmusic.com/guild-guitars-launches-the-starfire-ii-st/

Ralf

 

[SFIV1967]

The Starfire II ST is also included in the new 2016 catalog: http://issuu.com/guildguitars/docs/2016_guild_catalog_pages

Ralf

 

[jcwu]

Why does the finish look so orange? Isn't it supposed to be a cherry red?

That's a nice decent price!

 

[AcornHouse]

Why does the finish look so orange? Isn't it supposed to be a cherry red?

That's a nice decent price!

It's listed as a natural finish, rather than the traditional cherry. And remember, they're not using real mahogany for these, but African mahogany or Sapele, which is not the same species as Honduran of Cuban. So it's natural color is not going to be the same as the natural models from the 60s or 70s.

(Also, you can't trust colors in publicity photos.)

 

[jcwu]

And remember, they're not using real mahogany for these, but African mahogany or Sapele, which is not the same species as Honduran of Cuban.

Forgive me if this has been covered - what's the tonal difference between the real mahogany vs. the African/Sapele?

 

[matsickma]

The description of the new SF2 says it is semihollow which makes it an interesting different guitar that should sound more like a SF4 instead of a SF3. However when I looked closely at the catalog picture it says hollow body. So now I'm now sure how it is built.

 

[txbumper57]

The description of the new SF2 says it is semihollow which makes it an interesting different guitar that should sound more like a SF4 instead of a SF3. However when I looked closely at the catalog picture it says hollow body. So now I'm now sure how it is built.

It looks like it was built along the lines of the old Korean made Dearmond Starfire Specials that you see for sale on Ebay from time to time.

 

[sailingshoes72]

The description of the new SF2 says it is semihollow which makes it an interesting different guitar that should sound more like a SF4 instead of a SF3. However when I looked closely at the catalog picture it says hollow body. So now I'm now sure how it is built.

I saw that as well! It looks like they mixed up the description of the Starfire II ST (Stopbar Tailpiece) which is obviously semi-hollow, and the Starfire IV on the opposite page with the harp tailpiece and floating bridge, which is obviously a true hollowbody. Ooops! :stupid:

Bill

 

[AcornHouse]

I saw that as well! It looks like they mixed up the description of the Starfire II ST (Stopbar Tailpiece) which is obviously semi-hollow, and the Starfire IV on the opposite page with the harp tailpiece and floating bridge, which is obviously a true hollowbody. Ooops! :stupid:

Bill

No, SF IVs have always been semi-hollow, even with the harp tailpiece. The harp SF I-IIIs models were fully hollow, but when they developed the IV, they added the block to combat feedback.

 

[AcornHouse]

Forgive me if this has been covered - what's the tonal difference between the real mahogany vs. the African/Sapele?

I don't know about the tonal difference, but the African stuff has a more crumbly grain structure. They are entirely different species.

http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identification/hardwoods/honduran-mahogany/
http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identification/hardwoods/african-mahogany/
http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identification/hardwoods/sapele/

 

[sailingshoes72]

No, SF IVs have always been semi-hollow, even with the harp tailpiece. The harp SF I-IIIs models were fully hollow, but when they developed the IV, they added the block to combat feedback.

Chris... I see what you are pointing out. I didn't realize that the original SF IV had the harp tailpiece and floating bridge. It looks like the present company is using the ST designation to denote the stopbar tailpiece. On the next page of the catalogue they feature the SF IV ST.

There is still some confusion about the SF II ST. The press release above states that it is semi-hollow, but the catalogue describes it as hollow body. Can you bolt a stopbar tailpiece on a true hollow body top?

Bil

 

[AcornHouse]

Chris... I see what you are pointing out. I didn't realize that the original SF IV had the harp tailpiece and floating bridge. It looks like the present company is using the ST designation to denote the stopbar tailpiece. On the next page of the catalogue they feature the SF IV ST.

There is still some confusion about the SF II ST. The press release above states that it is semi-hollow, but the catalogue describes it as hollow body. Can you bolt a stopbar tailpiece on a true hollow body top?

Bil

I don't believe so.

 

[Guildadelphia]

I have an MIJ ESP/Edwards Les Paul copy (E-LP 130 ALS) which is a serious machine (long neck joint tenon, Duncan Seth Lover pu's, full gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer, nicely flamed top, one piece back) that is made from some Asian species of mahogany as opposed to Honduran or African 'hog and you can't really tell anything by the color because it can be stained to look like anything. What is different is that the guitar is not chambered and only weighs 7.7 lbs. Incredibly loud unplugged for a solidbody. Amplified it doesn't quite have the heavy, chugging low end of a Honduran or African 'hog Gibson but it has a much more airy, lively tone without the mud.

 

[matsickma]

The DeArmond SF Special (aka DeA SF3) was the first DeArmond I purchased during the blowout and the only DeA archtop I still own. That said I am definitely interested in the new SF2ST model.
The fact that the came out with a new model and retain the essential features of a Guild design is exactly the type of product evolution that excies me about the direction of Guild under new ownership. It may be we continuously see Guild models or features that never occurred under Guild but would have had the company had steady growth and success.

 

[SFIV1967]

So they say in the spec table and in the video the SF II-ST is fully hollowbody.
But to mount the stoptail they at least need a block between top and back. Some kind of soundpost I guess.

Go to minute 0:48:




What I don't like is the look of the new (not Guild) 3 screw TRC! Why did they use it?

Ralf

 

[jp]

The fact that the came out with a new model and retain the essential features of a Guild design is exactly the type of product evolution that excies me about the direction of Guild under new ownership. It may be we continuously see Guild models or features that never occurred under Guild but would have had the company had steady growth and success.

I agree wholeheartedly. This is exactly what I want to see as well. However, I would love to see new models catering to more modern tastes with updated features, but somewhat based in the design aesthetics of classic Guilds.

According to the video, the ST isn't really semi-hollow. There's only a block under the bridge for a stop tailpiece. I've always wanted a semi-hollow SFIII like the Dearmond SF III, because I like the florentine cutaway body style more than the SFIV-V-VI shape. I've still got my eye our for one. I would also love to see a smaller bodied, true semi-hollow with f-holes like the Nightengale.

 

[jcwu]

So they say in the spec table and in the video the SF II-ST is fully hollowbody.
But to mount the stoptail they at least need a block between top and back. Some kind of soundpost I guess.

Go to minute 0:48:

That was cool, Guil demonstrating a Guild.

I wish he had done more than fingerstyle jazz, and used the neck and bridge pickups independently. Seemed more like showcasing his playing than the guitar's sound spectrum.